Method for foam abatement and chemical recovery



Dec. 15, 1931.

W. T. WEBSTER ET AL METHOD FOR FOAM ABATEMENT AND CHEMICAL RECOVERY Filed March 25, 1930 2 sheets sheet 1 ATTORNEY 3 I w. WEBSTER ET AL 1,336,563

METHOD FOR FOAM ABATEMENT AND CHEMICAL RECOVERY- Filed March 25, 1950 2 Sheets-Shet 2 wwgw BM a M ATTORNEY v a very persistent foam of great volume. Such Patented Dec. '15,, 1331 UNITED srarss PATENT OFFICE wILLIm TAYLOR wnnsrnn, OF rnnnzm, rrnw roan, AND CHARLES LINDEN WAGNER, or" BOONTON, NEW JERSEY mnoniron roam: ABATE'MENT AND cnnnrcar. RECOVERY Application filed. larch 35, 1930. Serial 1T0. 488,686.

. This invention relates to a method'and apparatus for abating foam and recovering chemicals contained in the foam In man industrial processes such as in V the manu acture of kraft or sulphate pulp and variations thereof when a resinous wood is used foaming occurs, or if the wood contains other substances which also cause exconsequent loss of chemicals in the foam. The

foam is formed as an incident of'theheatiug, vacuum and agitation of the sodium resinate contained in t e material inthe process of manufacture, which sodiumresinate,-because of the evolution of non-condens ng gases, the

colloidal nature and surfacetensiom' 'forms foam will even dry as a. foam in the air.

' Where certain woods are used .the' liquor even foams when in storage tankszneces'sitating venting and consequent loss of chemicals in the.vented foam.

Among the objects of our invention is to i provide a method and apparatus forabating the foam formed in certain industrial processes in the manufacture of paper pulp and the recovery of the chemicals contained in the foam.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of a device embodying the principles of our invention.

Figure 2 is a top plan view of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a sectional view of Figure 1 along the line 3, 3, looking in thedirection of the arrows.

Figure 4 is a sectional View along the line 4, 4, looking in the direction of the arrows.

In carrying out our invention we propose to conduct the foam from the place of formation in pipes to the point of inlet 1 on the apparatus which pi e leads into an inlet chamber 1. In cham er '1 the foam is mixed with hot gases preferably furnace gases, likewise admitted into chamber 2 tangentially of the apparatus. These furnace gases are high in carbon dioxide. The sodium resinate is a combinationl'of causticsoda and resin which latter has a weak chemical bond and splits up into sodium carbonate and resin acids, these products have low viscosities and different tensions. Under the action of carbon dioxide and the heat the resin acids and organic matter are thrown out of solu-' tion, the organic matter becoming charred. The heated gases rise within the circular container having metal walls 3 and the gas and air contained in the bubbles expands greatly byreason of the heat contained in the hot gases. As the gas and air contained in the. bubblesexpand thebubble wall becomes thinner. The surface tension changes also and the bubble finally becomes ruptured. The

aseous. content of the bubble mixed with the urnace gases carries upward the mist in very finely divided particles with, the chemicals contained therein in suspension. Within walls 3, weprovide a series of baflles; The

\lowerbaflle 4 is a circular ring 5 supported by ,br'acing G-and angular ring 7 Above-baflle 4-- is :bafile 8 comprising a circular plate 9 supported'by braces 10. Plate 9 overlaps the central opening in baffle 4. The latter does not com letely fill the space between the walls 3 of the device. A similar battle ring 11 to ring 4 with corresponding braces 12 is above 'baflle 8. Above the baflies and within walls 3 of the device is a grating 13 supported by angular ring 14 preferably welded to the shell or walls 3. Above grating- 13 is a chamber 15. Upon grating 13 and within chamber 15, we propose to provide one or more layers the bafiles are sprays 16 spraying in ahorizontal direction. The gas-water-suspension passing up through the apparatus is broken and the chemicals removed by the surface of (hexahelix) tile 22. Positioned amongst contact with the walls and baflles and by the sprays 16. There is also a breaking up of the gas-water-suspension by surface contact and sprays 17 in passing through the tile into chamber 15. The gas entering tangentially at high velocity and acquiring a spiral direction with upward mass movement encounters the sprayed water which is directed countercurrently. Water when sprayed has a positive electric charge. The negative electric charge of the dust cloud in the furnace gases is neutralized by the positive charge of the sprayed water permitting the wetting and solution of the chemicals which partly separate and are partly suspended as a mist or gas water suspension. The further separation and removal is caused by the direction changes and surface contact with the bafiles, walls and tiles. The circulating solution becomes concentrated and is returned to other uses either continuously or intermittently in batches through outlet 17 while the waste gases pass out through stack 18. The sprays 16, 17, reutilize the liquor from supply tank 18' until the liquor reaches a predetermined concentration. Valve 19 is closed and the concentrated liquor is pumped out through pipe 20. Valce 19 is then opened and valve 21 is closed and the tank automatically fills with water or weak liquor until float valve 22 shuts off the supply. The process is then continued. In the device from fifteen to twenty-five gallonsof water per minute is evaporated out of the liquor-by the hot gases. The volume in the tank is maintained a con stant by float valve 22. As the quantity of spray material is a constant and as the chemicals are continually dissolving in the spray liquor the chemical concentration increases until it reaches the desired strength when the concentrated liquor is removed as previousl indicated and replaced by water or wea liquor.

It will thus be seen that we have provided an apparatus for the abatement of foam and the recovery of the chemical products therefrom as well as the simultaneous recovery of the chemical dusts contained in furnace gases. Although we propose to use waste furnace gases the foam abatement may be accomplished without the use of these gases and by the use of others. It should be noted that although we have shown a form of bafiiing which has proved satisfactory, yet modifications thereof might be made and still fall within the principles of our invention. It should also be noted that the abatement of the foam is accomplished by the introduction thereof into a stream of highly heated gases moving at high velocity both introduced into a substantially vertical circular container tangentially and having an upward mass movement through a series of bafiles wherein the mixture is sprayed countercurrently and finally passing through the tiles which have large contact surfaces and change of direction. The sprays from above serve to separate any remainin gas-water-suspension containing chemica s and to keep the surfaces of the tiles clean. What we claim is:

1. The method for abating foam produced from liquors and recovering the chemicals contained in the foam comprising introducing tangentially into a circular container the foam into.a stream of highly heated gases at high velocity, to cause the mixture to travel in a direction generally spirally and upwardl with specific changes of direction also ind uced in the travel of the mixture, spraying the mixture with liquid falling countercur rently to direction of travel of the mixture and separately delivering the gaseous and liquid products.

2. The method for abating foam from industrial liquors and recovering the chemicals contained in the foam, comprising mixing the foam with highly heated gases and imparting to the mixture a rising general spiral motion at high velocity while exposing the mixture to surfaces and causing specific changes of direction in its general travel and subjecting the mixture to sprays falling downwardly against the current of rising foam and gases and finally passing the mixture through tortuous passages having relatively large surfaces and washing simultaneously the passages and surfaces by sprays and separately delivering the gaseous and liquid products.

Signed at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York this 21st day of March, A. D. 1930.

WILLIAM TAYLOR WEBSTER. CHARLES LINDEN WAGNER. 

